Vintage TeaWorks founder Brandon Ford obviously has a passion for tea. But as a certified wine connoisseur, he also has a soft spot for vino. It was only a matter of time before he brought the two together for his Cellar Series Tea Collection. With pairings such as White Tea Riesling and Black Tea Merlot, the combos make the relaxed experience of tea a little more playful.

Why tea and wine?

As I started to learn more about tea, I realized that people were using the same language to describe tea that I used to describe wine. As more Americans turn to both beverages as healthy options, I thought it would be interesting to see if I could bring the two worlds together while respecting the story each told individually.

What is your favorite variety?

As the weather starts to feel like fall, I am turning to the Oolong Chardonnay. It is right in the middle of our lineup and provides a great fall tea. It is a full-bodied tea, but pairs very easily with lighter dishes.

How did you decide to pair each flavor?

I started with the body — or the weight of the tea on your palate — of each tea and tried to find wines that were similar. Once I narrowed the list, it became more about instinct. So I tasted through a lot of combinations before landing on the six in our collection.